Court clerk may testify in Lomita molestation trial
After all these years hanging around the courts, I still see plenty of "firsts."
Yesterday, while watching the trial for Roy Joseph Senter, it became apparent that the defense would like to call to the witness stand the court clerk in Dept. L of the Torrance Superior Court.
Not sure of the chronology of this, but it seems the clerk made an observation of sheriff's sex crimes detective Paul Valle nodding his head during certain testimony of some witnesses. I'm not exactly clear on which witnesses, but it sounds like it was during the alleged victims' testimony - raising the spectre of "coaching" by the defense.
Before she testifies, and at the prosecution's request, a hearing will be conducted outside of the jury's presence by Judge James Brandlin so it can be determined what the clerk observed and it's probative value. That will likely happen tomorrow.
17 Comments
Leave a comment
About the Blogger
Larry Altman has covered crime in the South Bay since 1990. He's seen it all - the missing model who turned up dead in the desert, the wives found dead in trunks, the high-school coaches who get a little too close to their players. He drives his young colleagues nuts with his "I remember when" stories. He welcomes your tips and observations about the present, and you can mix in a little Lakers basketball talk if you like.
E-mail Larry at larry.altman@dailybreeze.com.
Twitter updates from Larry Altman
ADVERTISEMENT
|
|
About the Blogger
Denise Nix knew as young as grade school, when she spent every summer working on the camp newspaper, that she wanted to be a journalist. Denise has spent most of the last 12 years of her career in the courtroom. She joined the Daily Breeze in 2001, where she tracks and reports on hundreds of cases at every level of the justice system. And she's never, ever, seen a judge use a gavel.
E-mail Denise at denise.nix@dailybreeze.com.
Twitter updates from Denise Nix
ADVERTISEMENT
|
|
Ridiculous. Defense attorney's looking for anything to "win" a case. Mockery of the system. I hope their relative is never a victim and has to face their assaulter.
You don't think it's possible that a detective would give signals? I'm sure you probably think that the police never lie as well.
The defense is reaching at this point.
These are the most unintelligent blog comments I have ever seen. Everyone wants a child molester to go to jail. Everyone wants to believe children. Duh.
What do any of you really know about this case?
That there is a long process of checks and balances before a case goes to trial. An initial report, a DA interview and a preliminary hearing where a judge finds enough probable cause for the accused to be held to answer. Pretty convincing.
Observer, I'm related to the victim.
How's that apple tasting?
Anonymous:(related to ALLEGED victim),
Would you be willing to lay down your life to the certainty of the fact that this is 100% true, and the fact that a Detective who was reprimanded 3 time by the Judge for giving hand jesters twords the witnesses and was also witnessed by a member of the court as well for doing so. In fact it is on the record. If this case was so rock solid, why would this need to happen? But you won’t read about that in the newspaper! Are you so sure there are no rotten apples in your batch?
Based on everyone's comments, it seems as though it is no longer “innocent until proven guilty” but rather "guilty until proven innocent". Please be aware that this case is about real people's lives. Obviously, a few paragraphs summarizing the questioning of a witness cannot accurately capture all the facts about a case. Both parties of the case deserve a chance to explain their side. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but the people on the jury are the only ones that get to hear and see everything. It comes across as ignorant, as well as very un-American, to post opinionated comments regarding a case when we do not know all the facts.
When the Court Clerk (an unbiased person unrelated to the case) notices someone doing something inappropriate and finds it serious enough to bring to the attention of the judge, there's a problem. The detective was apparently nodding his head to the witnesses, and making discreet, yet noticeable hand gestures to cue the witnesses to cry. The clerk wasn't the only person who saw this. The prosecution must not have a very strong case if they must resort to leading the witnesses.
The case is over... guilty on both counts.
I just read in the Breeze that the defendant passed a polygraph test, but the prosecuting attorney wouldn't agree to let it be used as evidence (of course.) That, along with this issue of the detective gesturing to the witnesses, makes me believe there is more to this story than meets the eye. What a shame.
from what i know as fact, and from what ive heard in reguards to this case, there was always bias toward the children. once you hear that someone hurt a child in this manner it hard to imagine that the child would/could tell such a story without it being true. its possible. even for a young child. i heard the girls testify, and as ugly as it was to hear a child describe sex acts, i wasnt convinced. there was no emotion, there words were very scripted, they both spoke as though they were in a school play. there were plenty of inconsistantcies. as for the defendant, he probably shouldnt have been so willing to help out neglected and needy kids. he shouldnt have been so willing to lavash small children with nice clothes and toys and outings that their parents couldnt/wouldnt/didnt provide.
i dont believe this man hurt these children. i think he overcared for them.
if you dont take care of your own children, then you leave the door wide open
The people that lied know who they are. God will punish them to Hell when they Die!
This molester did the crime. I'm a neighbor and know that his conviction was right on. Good that another child molester will be sent to jail. Some of you liberal minded people know absolutely nothing about what you have written.
The anger of the tongue need not touch, but it be a force to be reckoned with just the same. It cuts just as quick.
People are stupid; given proper motivation, almost anyone will believe almost anything. Because people are stupid and over confident in what they "KNOW" (or think they know), they will believe a lie because they want to believe it's true, or because they are AFRAID it might be true.
So, what is more dangerous, a half truth or a lie?
Preception is what makes any threat/bad deed even more dangerous/repulsive.
The anger of the tongue need not touch, but it is a force to be reckoned with just the same. It cuts just as quick.
Because humanity is what it is; almost anyone if given proper motivation will believe anything. People will believe a lie because they want to believe it is true, or because they are afraid it might be true.
Being afraid something is true is accepting the possibility. Accepting the possibility is the first step to believing, not knowing. People need to be smart enough to question. Think of how easy it is to believe, for people who don't question, who don't even know how to question.
That being said, which is more destructive a lie or a half truth?
Think about it and question.
Anonymous said:
This molester did the crime. I'm a neighbor and know that his conviction was right on. Good that another child molester will be sent to jail. Some of you liberal minded people know absolutely nothing about what you have written.
So Anonymous, are you saying you were there to see this happen? If not, you should be careful how you JUDGE, because sometimes things are not as they seem. This man could actually be innocent.